Rally held to support Durham police

Those who attended the rally said that recent events around the country have turned some members of the community against police.

The rally comes just weeks after two Durham police officers were shot in December.

On Christmas day, Durham police officer J.T. West was sitting in his patrol car on Lakeland Street when two men approached his vehicle from behind. As West got out of his car, one of the men pulled out a gun and fired six shots at West, who dove for cover. West wasn't seriously wounded in the incident and managed to return fire as the two men fled, police said.

Just a few days later on Dec. 29, someone fired a shot at the apartment of an off-duty officer. The officer wasn't wounded, but a sliding glass door to his dining room was shattered. The unidentified officer said he saw a man running into some nearby woods after the shooting.

Police Chief Jose Lopez said officers are worried for their safety. He said it also makes it hard to recruit new employees.